Page 11 (1/1)

Elle aly, she would have

"Don’t ask, Daniel," she said as she walked past him into the house "Just don’t ask"

4

DANIEL GAVE HER tea and put her in the downstairs guest rooold band on his left hand

"Where are Anya and the baby?" Elle asked She hadn’t seen either when Daniel brought her into the house

"Upstairs in the nursery Marius has the flu We’re taking shifts She’s on the day shift I take the night shift so she can sleep" He smiled and she saw the contentment on his handsoain," he said and s a dad?" Elle asked as she pulled the blanket to her sto and nothing but a bag and the clothes on your back and you want to talk about ht now?" Daniel pulled a chair up to the bed It was barely two o’clock in the afternoon, but Daniel had seen right away that all she needed right noas rest "Eleanor, please--"

"Elle," she said

"What?"

"I told him the day I met him that I went by Elle Not Eleanor My whole life my mom called me Elle or Ellie That’s who I am But he called me Eleanor anyway He calls me Eleanor I prefer Elle"

Daniel looked at her, rubbed his hands together

"Elle," he said "Please tellCan you do that for me?"

"You don’t want to know" She tried to smile She hoped he appreciated the effort that took her

Daniel ular player in Kingsley’s world, his blue-eyed Doie, had even named it--The Ouch, she called it with equal parts fear and affection When he gave her that look she knew she’d be saying "ouch" the next day, ave her now Instead, he looked at her steadily with curiosity and compassion And pity

She hated pity

"I’et away for a few days"

"You didn’t coo to the Hao to the Haet away for a few days because you’re rich Noro to the Hamptons"

"Elle" Daniel met her eyes "You’re the most famous submissive in the entire city of New York You’re owned by a Catholic priest, and you’re sleeping with the King of the Underground You are not nor to be anyway"

"How did you get here?"